Amber Portwood’s Brother: “My Sister’s a Trainwreck & I Blame MTV”

"You've changed, Amber!" "Sorry!"

Today The Ashley learned a lot from reading the blog written by the brother of Teen Mom star, Amber Portwood. Shawn (who has been affectionately called “Bubby” by Amber on the show) held nothing back yesterday when he wrote an angry rant against MTV.

Here are five things The Ashley (and probably you) didn’t know about Amber Portwood and her experience on ‘Teen Mom.’

1. The Portwoods were supposed to appear on a different MTV show!

It turns out that it was originally supposed to be Shawn Portwood, not Amber, that was going to appear on an MTV show. Apparently, Shawn’s ex-wife signed them up to appear on ‘Engaged & Underage’ (‘member this show? The Ashley loved it!)

“They called me and told me that they wanted to film us.  I told them that we were already married and they said, ‘that’s fine.’ They wanted to do a special with us,” Shawn wrote. “[MTV wanted us to] get married and then turn around and tell our families that we had been married for over four months at the time.  I told them that they were not going to make a mockery out of my life.  I wish Amber would have had the same mentality as me.”

Later, MTV called Shawn’s wife to see if she knew anyone who would work for ’16 & Pregnant’…and guess who she suggested?

2. Money and fame have changed Amber.

“She has changed considerably since she was ’16 and Pregnant,'” Shawn wrote. “Back then she was barely making a few hundred dollars a month for doing the show.  She was the same person that I had always known her as growing up.

“As the years went by her salary gradually went up higher and higher. Over time a few hundred dollars a month turned into tens of thousands.  During this time she also gradually changed.  She lost her way and became someone else.  She is over-dramatic and thinks of herself as an A-list celebrity.”    [Well, she certainly has the paycheck of one!]

MTV is the devil, says Shawn!

3. MTV makes the ‘Teen Mom’ cast pretend to be broke.

The Ashley has been saying this all along– why do these girls pretend to be so poor, yet have all the hip gadgets, hair extensions and have about 25 house each?! Shawn seems to agree:

“If you are making $15,000 plus a month then why even have a show about struggling mothers,” he wrote. “None of them are struggling yet they are forced to say they are.  This is no longer a show about how hard it is to be a mother.” (He goes on to say even harsher things, but The Ashley doesn’t want to repeat them. You can read everything he said regarding the girls by clicking here.)

4. Amber wants to go back to rehab.

Apparently, Amber is longing to return to Seasons, the California rehab facility she was staying at during the summer. However, according to Shawn, it’s not the treatment that she wants to go back for.

“I personally believe that these little blackout spells that she has is just a cry for help and a way to go back to where everyone will do everything for her, Seasons,” he wrote.

5. Shawn Portwood hates MTV.

Shawn believes that MTV is the devil behind his sister’s downfall. He was totally against Amber appearing on ’16 & Pregnant,’ however, he was deployed in Iraq and wasn’t able to voice his opinion.

“Had I been home I would have told her just how sadistic MTV was,” Shawn wrote. ” When I came home on mid-tour leave I found out that she was not only pregnant but that she was also going to be on a MTV show.  This made me furious because I knew it would ruin her life.  Fast forward to today and we can all see that Amber is a complete train wreck.  MTV is slowly ruining her life day by day and they do not care for one reason, ratings.”

This is a lot of info to digest! Roundupers, what do you think of all this?!

(Photos by MTV, collage by Starcasm)

9 Comments

  1. Okay I’m trying not to sound mean here but to be honest it’s not MTV that’s the problem it’s the people who go on it. Shawn your right MTV can absolutely change a person if they can’t deal with the pressure. But like everyone keeps saying Amber made the choice to go on 16 and pregnant and then made the choice to do teen mom and then made the choice to do teen mom 2. MTV may trick you and make you do things you don’t want to do but in the end its YOU who makes the final decision whether to stop filming here or keep going.
    When you become a mom there’s suppose to be like this switch that happens in your mind where it’s not about you anymore. Your need aren’t important anymore and teens don’t have that switch for some reason. They do the opposite they blame the kids for taking their child hood when in reality they’re the ones who put their kids in this world and for what? A child is not an accessory it’s something your suppose to love and protect and take care of and give it everything you never had it is not something that’s suppose to help you get on TV. Don’t you want the best for your kids?? Don’t you want them to have everything they ask for?? Don’t you want them to be happy?? None of these girls seem to think about that. I just turned 18 and when I was 15 my best friend got pregnant and she didn’t take care of her kid at all her mom did everything. When I as 16 my new best friend got pregnant by a 23 year old and now he has custardy of her daughter and she’s out partying and doing drugs I don’t get it I just dot get it !!!!!
    Sorry it’s so long I had a lot to get out


  2. I understand where Shawn is coming from, but I think he is placing wayyyy too much blame on MTV and not enough on Amber. She is quite capable of making her own decisions. If she wants to neglect and abuse the people in her life for money, that is her own choice 100%.


  3. I’m beginning to love Shawn =) he actually tells the truth about MTV and doesn’t have to worry about them beating down on him, he wasn’t on it. But I also think Amber is using every little thing as an excuse for her awful behavior…She was rude to Gary in the beginning and MTV probably staged some of it, but there is no excuse for her beating on him.


  4. I totally agree and have thought the same thing since last season. The concept of the show is a great one but they should have retired these cast members after 1 season to stay true to the impact it was supposed to have on teen girls. Even in spite of Amber’s hardships the majority of viewers interpret pregnancy as making them an instant adult and a chance to possibly become an instant celebrity. MTV dropped the ball on the producing a show that would influence their young audience to use birth control or wait to have sex. It WAS a good show but now its more of a show boat. Sean I’m sorry for your family and I don’t blame you for hating MTV for exploiting your family. These girls will like other “child stars” will soon become has veena and they will struggle more than the rest of us ever did.


    1. Shawn, even though you’ve only been in one episode (I think?) you seem to be one of the few people who is honest with Amber and tries to help her…I just hope she listens sooner rather than later!


  5. I going to have to agree with Shawn, tv networks are all about ratings and don’t really care if the poor girl is depressed. Its sad really. I feel for Amber, I mean she’s obviously hurting and been through some things. I hope things keep getting better for her and her family.
    On another note to present these girls as broke and struggling on the show. I don’t get why??? They get paid a hefty amount from what Im hearing. I wish I had it that well.
    Im 28 with two baby’s and from the looks of things,these “teen moms” are much more well off then me as an adult.
    Instead of just a teen mom or 16 and preg show MTV should do a show about the struggles of just being a parent in general.


  6. My brother and I were discussing this the other day. These kids would not be facing such harsh repercussions for their immature behavior if they were not under the spotlight. Regardless of the fact that Amber volunteered for this, she was underage when filming began and her judgment has been compromised due to the excessive sums of money offered to her! 16 and Pregnant was a good idea. Even Teen Mom was great – for the first season. But as soon as the cautionary element of these kids’ lives became corrupted by their gratuitous salaries ($280,000 is excessive in my opinion), the “vicarious learning” prospect of the documentary went out the window.

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